Jake didn’t like goodbyes. Especially long goodbyes.

The months away from Guest always felt strangely long. It didn’t matter how many phone calls they made, how many slow emails they exchanged, or how many letters Jake wrote—some of them kind of lame, he knew, but Guest always responded anyway.

He and Guest had promised each other they would be okay. They knew it was temporary. Guest lived half the time in Myrtle Bay with his dad and the other half in his mom’s city, and it wasn’t like they were breaking up.

They stayed together, talking whenever they could, texting and even writing letters, because the internet was still crap and sometimes an email took longer to arrive than a letter in the mail.

The truth was, there was no substitute for having Guest there.

After months, after letters and calls and emails that took longer than they should have, Jake stood on the dock, anxiously tapping his leg as he waited for the boat to arrive. The smell of the sea was stronger than usual, mixed with the warm wind of Myrtle Bay.

Jake had already tried to mentally prepare himself for this. He told himself he would act calm, that he wouldn't be over the top, that he wouldn't run like a madman as soon as he saw Guest step onto the pier.

The boat finally approached. People began to disembark, and Jake desperately searched for one boy in particular.

And then, there he was.

Ash felt his heart race.

The promise to be discreet? Forgotten. The attempt to appear casual? Joke. The idea of waiting for Guest to come to him? Never. Before he could think, Jake was already running towards him.

He grabbed Guest, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tightly, ignoring anyone who was watching, his arms closing around his boyfriend as if to make sure Guest wouldn't disappear again.